CHINIOT: Chiniot and Lalian railway stations were plunged into darkness on Wednesday night as the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) severed power supply over non-payment of bills.

The Fesco suspended the electricity supply to the railway stations in Chiniot and Lalian towns over unpaid dues. As a result, passengers and staff faced inconvenience due to the lack of electricity and lighting.

Chiniot Railway Station’s outstanding dues to Fesco have accumulated to over Rs2.7 million, unpaid for several months. The Lalian Railway Station owes around Rs40,000.

Chiniot Raiwal Station Assistant Station Master Safdar Hussain said the station follows a centralised bill payment system. Monthly bills are forwarded to the Faisalabad Railways Regional Office and Lahore Head Office for payment.

The power outage also disrupted the railway’s communication systems, including reservation and ticketing services. Although manual ticketing systems are available to assist passengers, the absence of lighting in waiting areas, offices and reservation counters caused difficulties for both passengers and staff.

Moreover, security concerns arose due to the darkness and the unavailability of electricity affected the potable water supply and water in washrooms.

Fesco Executive Engineer (EXEN) Malik Zeeshan said the railway stations had been in default for several months.

Despite multiple reminders to clear the outstanding dues, the company was ultimately compelled to disconnect the electricity supply due to the prolonged non-payment.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2025